Spirit Or Mass Hysteria? 600 Students Flee Maharashtra's 'Haunted' Hostel After 4 Girls Behave Unusually

Locals say it's a spirit, while medical professionals claim it's “mental stress" after nearly 600 students left a residential hostel in Maharashtra fearing four girl students became "possessed". The unusual incident took place in a tribal-dominated village in Doma village of Chikhaldara taluka, near the Melghat region.

The story began on July 22, when four girls residing at the hostel started behaving strangely, laughing and crying, losing control of themselves. Following this, rumours began to circulate that the hostel is “haunted”.

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Officials termed the behaviour to be linked to mental stress. They claimed that the girls may be suffering from a condition known as 'Dissociative Conversion Disorder', a condition where psychological stress or brain signal disruptions cause real, involuntary physical or neurological symptoms – such as paralysis, tremors, or non-epileptic seizures – even though medical tests show normal physical structures.

The medical report said that academic pressure, mental stress, and the impact of surrounding events could be the primary causes behind the unusual behaviour, ruling out the “supernatural” thing. The six students are being treated in isolation, while their parents are provided counselling.

Villagers Spread Several Rumours

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Some students and locals believe that a ‘mahua’ tree once stood at the site of the ashram school and that spirits resided on it. The school management later cut the tree. This led to a belief that the spirits became angry and began troubling the students, news agency PTI reported.

The second theory says that a temple dedicated to a local deity behind the school had been affected or encroached upon by the school’s drainage channel, which was believed to have enraged the deity.

Another story the residents say is that an Adivasi youth who died in a field near the school had become a ghost and was troubling the students.

Counselling Is Being Conducted In The School

Senior office-bearers from the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, which works towards eradicating superstition, visited the school and counselled the students, the official said.

They appealed to the students and locals to view the incident from a scientific perspective rather than falling for superstitious beliefs.

Amravati MP Balwant Wankhade also urged the students not to be afraid and encouraged them to return to classes.

Headmaster Sanjay Chaudhary said efforts were underway to counsel the girls and bring the students back to school.“A few have returned,” he said.